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Mayhem at some petrol pumps - but how are other city garages faring?
Carl Watton said we'd learned nothing in the two years since bog roll disappeared off our shelves - Credit: Sarah Burgess
Drivers are queuing for fuel as a shortage of HGV drivers starts to wreck petrol supply chains in Norwich.
On their way into work this morning, many city folk veered from their usual routes to fill up their tanks.
Morrisons had to start shutting off pumps at Riverside due to supplies running low - Credit: Sarah Burgess
Morrisons was manic at around 2pm this afternoon with the queue for fuel stretching to the roundabout - Credit: Sarah Burgess
And by lunchtime Morrisons at Riverside had shut off half its pumps as its fuel supply began to run dry and queues tailed back to the roundabout in Albion Way.
A member of staff, who did not want to be named, said at some point they would run out completely and have to start turning people away.
Exhausted, he said things had turned "manic".
Anne McCrudden was one of the dozens waiting in her car to fill up.
Anne McCrudden waiting for fuel at Morrisons - Credit: Sarah Burgess
She said: "I'm here because everyone else is filling up and I'd absolutely hate to run out.
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"I don't want to be selfish but I'm on my own and I need to get places.
"What if there was an emergency and I couldn't find anywhere to get petrol?"
Yvonne Ridge said she had to drive her daughter to Manchester at the weekend and needed enough fuel for the journey there and back.
Yvonne Ridge said she needed fuel to get her daughter to Manchester at the weekend - Credit: Sarah Burgess
She explained: "I'm here out of necessity, really."
Carl Watton said the entire saga was "ridiculous".
He added: "I'm here because I genuinely need to fill up. I work shifts and do a lot of driving.
"We've learned nothing in the two years since everyone was stockpiling bog roll.
"I'm sure if everyone was sensible there'd be no issue. But here we are again, in the exact same situation we were at the beginning of the pandemic."
Morrisons had to start shutting off pumps at Riverside because supplies began to run dry - Credit: Sarah Burgess
Morrisons had to start shutting off pumps at Riverside because supplies began to run dry - Credit: Sarah Burgess
Meanwhile at Tesco in Sprowston a customer said the queue was "ridiculous" - with members of staff having to direct traffic.
Not all garages are suffering the same fate however.
Jet petrol station in Rose Lane was comfortably quiet both this morning and at 2pm.
Manager Ramanathan Uthayarajan said he'd had a delivery of 40,000 litres just two days ago and was confident stocks would last.
Ramanathan Uthayarajan, manager at Jet for the past 21 years, said he'd noticed some panic-buying, but ultimately things were fine - Credit: Sarah Burgess
But regular customer Carol Lowe conceded that news of shortages was making her "uneasy" as she filled up her tank to the brim.
Bus operators such as FirstBus and Konectbus have also been reporting delays due to petrol-related queuing.
Queues for fuel at Asda in Norwich. Picture: DENISE BRADLEY - Credit: DENISE BRADLEY/Archant2021
Sainsbury's petrol station at Attleborough closes as they run out of fuel after customers panic buy. Picture: DENISE BRADLEY - Credit: DENISE BRADLEY/Archant2021
